𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 ❦ ✓

𝟮 ~ 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

how are you today? <3
❦

days have dragged on by ever since neteyam had last seen ao'nung during the darkest of nights, yet again.

thankfully, he himself has been occupied by various assignments along the exteriors of awa'atlu; hunting, socialising, weaving and still grasping onto the way of metkayina.

however, at the presence of his time, neteyam so happens to be cleaved with ao'nung; ordered to attend the ilu's with their timely meals.
neteyam doesn't bat an eye towards the silenced boy but on the ilu's who splashes water onto him the moment he throws them cod.

"they seem to like you."
a low, husky voice hooks onto the boy's attention causing an ascend to his ears, pointing the tip of his nose towards the heir.

neteyam doesn't squeak a noun before ao'nung speaks up once more, still time with a smirk.
"you're scared of me?"

"why would i be scared of you." his gaze averts down to the fish in hand, staving off any condescending looks from ao'nung.

"your family seems to be on edge here." the boy shrugs at the slight remark, now eyeing off to an ilu that had swam by his knee.

neteyam scowls at his oblivion, his presence of insensitivity is now known to the boy.
"maybe because we're at war? it isn't easy to just leave home for our safety."

ao'nung scoffs at the reasoning, eyes still on the socialising ilus.
"coward. that's what we call that."

the omaticaya boy stays silent.
there is some truth in that.

"why not just attack their base? it's simple."
neteyam rolls his eyes at the naive mindset, starting to think ao'nung's brain is all mushed from his lack of duty as the chief's son.

"if it were to be that simple, we wouldn't be here."

"jake sully, the mighty toruk makto; runs away from his problems."
"what a joke." ao'nung shakes his head in disgust and disapproval.

"do not speak ill of my father."
neteyam hisses, scowling at the arrogant look.

"the whole village thinks that. i mean, how can we not when you intruders have taken over?"
a smug countenance exhibits on his complex.

"i'm done speaking with you."
neteyam's jaw aches with a clench, pushing himself up from the dock and walking off trying to stay composed.

it seems ao'nung couldn't keep his hands to himself, mildly jerking the boy's thin, flicking tail.

neteyam pivots from a sudden shiver down his back, pulling the tail back with an irate hiss at the sudden grab.
"keep your skxawng hands off of me."
ao'nung snickers at the easily angered boy as his eyes follow onto neteyam's disappearance.

with feet stomping against the brittle bridge and curses thrown under his breath, his ears capture pitched laughter.
he catches tsireya with kiri; weaving.
what's there to be so happy about.

neteyam musters up, enforcing a push at the words ao'nung had voiced to him before steering a course towards the two girls.
"how'd feeding the ilu's go?" kiri's attention now away from her newly made friend, tsireya.

"terrible. that skxawng needs a beating." he hisses, scowling towards ao'nung's sister who's now focused on the boy's expression, perplexed.

"what'd he do."

"he was speaking utter shit about father."
tsireya's eyes grow in size, dumbfounded at the bizarre statement.
her brothers kind,
caring,
opposite of what neteyam had said.

"that can't be the truth.. he's — my brother's kind and has a good head." her eyes searching for any fabrication in the boy's bright yellow.

"you must not know who your brother is, then." he scoffs, looking away from the resemblance of ao'nung.

"where's lo'ak?" he calmly questions kiri, a clench to the jaw.
"he might be with tuk. i saw them walk near the waters."
neteyam nods, instantly leaving the two and ignoring whatever tsireya had tried to voice out.

neteyam's eyes dance along the shore before he pinpoints two dark blue blobs from afar, splashing water onto each other.
at least they're safe.

a lungful ejects from the boy's muzzle.
since he's completed with his tasks for today, he couldn't help but wonder what else is on these islands.
it couldn't be just the beach.

without paying too much attention, neteyam lunges forward and off the bridge and heading to wherever his feet guide.

whilst gliding along the sandy grounds, laughter from children from not too far grabs his attention as he walks past the clutter.
a smile curls up, enchanted by the similarities between metkayina's and the omaticaya's.

his eyes dart back forward, seeing a large plantation of trees.
just like home.

as neteyam inches closer under numerous colossal trees, the aroma instantaneously shifts.
from salty waters and wet sand,
to damped moss and leaves.

a smile curls up on his lips, shutting his yellows and giving a big whiff of the homey scent.
from where he's standing, small creatures callinf could be heard in the distance as the needle-covered pathways come into view.

the excitement forming within neteyam couldn't be held back any longer before he prances and grabs ahold of a thick branch leaning off the tree.
the beating of neteyam's heart enhances his vision, unable to hold back the serotonin.

as his tail oscillates behind him, eager to stand high from the grounds.
the others must see this,
why didn't i see this earlier?

once the flats of his feet gracefully plops down onto the large branch, his eyes dance around above where the leaves all hang low, enchanted by the view.
he couldn't get enough.

another whiff comes from his nostrils, now slowly taking a seat surrounded by overgrown moss and flowers by his peripheral.

neteyam stays there, engulfing the nostalgia of the forest despite it only being a month since.
he makes himself comfortable, now laying on his back and arms supporting the back of the head, laying effortlessly.

little to no mere minute, the boy starts to feel weariness. no one knows where he is but,
it doesn't really matter, right?

he didn't care enough to move.
instead, neteyam's eyelid touches the bottom waterline, submerging into his subconsciousness.

❦
1016 w.c
❦
i'm enjoying this🤓